Imani Secondary Care

Centre Description

Situated in the central suburb of Observatory, Cape Town, Imani is a ten-bed, secondary care facility opened by Pam Goodman of Tharagay House.

Our programme includes support and care for those in recovery from eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over-eating and other related disorders.

We work with leading eating disorder dieticians, medical staff, psychologists, trained counsellors and recovery assistants - many of whom have walked this path and are an invaluable support.

Imani is a therapeutic community, where individuals benefit from mutual support by working with others overcoming similar disorders. Our clients live together in a home-like environment - learning, sharing and supporting one another.

We teach our clients to love, trust and believe in themselves.

Our comfortable, home-like environment is ideal for those seeking recovery

Eating Disorder Treatment

About Imani

Imani, which is taken from the Swahili word meaning Faith, is a unique secondary care facility dealing specifically with eating disorders and all the adjacent complaints. The centre is situated in a completely refurbished, modern and airy converted residence in the central suburb of Observatory. It can accommodate 10 patients, allowing for one-on-one attention.

Pam Goodman of the renowned secondary care alcoholism and drug addiction treatment centre, Tharagay House, recognised the need for a facility focused
entirely on food-related addictions. Based on a 12-step programme and the already successful methodologies being practised at the eating disorder division at Tharagay House; Pam and her team of qualified and experienced councillors, dieticians and health practitioners; have developed a holistic approach to the treatment and care of eating disorder patients.

Pam Goodman
Qualified nursing sister and NAADAC/UK (National Addiction Accreditation Drugs and Alcohol - United Kingdom) accredited addiction counsellor. Also in recovery. Started Tharagay House 12 years ago, a successful drug and alcohol and all subsidiary addictions rehabilitation centre.

Kelly Muzzell
Kelly Muzzell has an Honours Degree in Psychology with a dissertation on eating disorders. Recently returned from the UK, having worked there and previously for Tharagay House as Eating Disorder Counsellor. Also in recovery.

Chrissie Haywood
Psychiatric Nursing Sister in recovery. She has worked extensively with borderline personality disorders which is common to a lot of anorexics.

Marelize DeBruin
Addiction Counsellor and Recovery assistant in training. Also in recovery.

Our nursing staff cover 24 hours a day so that clients feel contained, monitored and supported. We have a night security guard a nurse and a wealth of part time recovery assistants who have previously travelled this path.

We are also priveledged to be working with two leading eating disorder dietitians in Cape Town. Julia Lovely and Melanie Harris run a practice in Green Point and have been our dietitians and consultants for many years. They have an above average success rate and are involved in the daily running and activities at Imani.

Each client has individual counselling sessions and nutritionist appointments, as well as having treatment and eating plans that are unique to his or her needs.

What we offer

Contrary to common misconceptions, eating disorders are more than a reaction to societal pressures on women to conform to a fashionable waistline. These pervasive conditions are, in fact, emotional, physical and even spiritual maladies that leave the individual feeling empty, alone and desolate in all aspects of life.

What emerges is that eating disorders are not confined to teenage girls but affect people of different ages, cultures and genders. Disorders can take many forms from anorexia, bulimia and compulsive over-eating to over-exercising and more.

Anorexia, bulemia, compulsive over-eating and other components of this illness are ways to exert some control over the individual's emotional world.

While the behaviours may differ, the underlying feelings of desperation, powerlessness and suffering are universal. At Imani we firstly deal with the client's destructive behaviour surounding their illness and then guide them in processing the reasons for this behaviour.

We work through a therapeutic community where individuals are part of a group of people with similar struggles. Through mutual support and shared experience, a healing atmosphere permeates the centre even outside structured therapy sessions.

Our treatment plan comprises of one-on-one counselling, group counselling, meal planning, nutritional guidence,monitered exercise and art therapy.

The programme

The Imani programme is tailored to individual needs and takes into consideration the way the disorder manifests itself and a person's lifestyle. Treatment can take 4 weeks to 6 months depending on what is required. It includes support and care for those in recovery from eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over-eating and other related disorders.

We work with leading eating disorder dieticians, medical staff, psychologists, trained counsellors and recovery assisants, many of whom have walked this path and are an invaluable support.

The counselling team guides the individual in learning assertiveness skills, positive body image, self-esteem, feeling management and relapse prevention.

We aim to restore the individual to a place of self-acceptance and self-worth, where he or she can pursue a rich and rewarding life, free of fear and despair.

Activities include:
One-on-one counselling
Daily therapeutic community groups
Psychodynamic groups dealing exclusively with feelings
Fellowship groups
Family work
Meal planning
Food shopping
Meal outings
Theme evenings
Monitored exercise
Movement therapy
Artistic expression

Success stories

Linda N
I was referred to Imani by my counsellor from an Addiction Treatment Centre where I had landed up in desperation after my fourth alcohol and drug relapse. I had spent 4 years in the rooms of AA, NA and OA and would have periods of clean time, but I could never find lasting abstinence. My biggest struggle was with my eating disorder, which completely ruled my life and had me at the point where I felt recovery from it was impossible for me. I could not imagine my life without bingeing and restricting, but I was also feeling desperately isolated, unhappy and demotivated because of my seeming inability to change.

At Imani I was introduced to a loving and sustainable way of eating, which I found hard to adapt to at first, but with all the help from the staff and other patients, I was able to get through my initial fears and obstacles in a safe and nurturing environment. The program helped me to start facing myself and the real issues underlying my eating disorder behaviours and attitudes. I completely trusted the highly competent staff who challenged me when I was stuck in self destructive patterns and nurtured and built me up when I needed it.

I have been for some time now on my eating disorder and coping with huge changes in my life, thanks to the solid foundation of recovery and ongoing support given to me by the people at Imani. I regard the time that I spent at Imani as a precious gift for which I will always be grateful.

Kelly M
My eating disorder was slowly and surely killing me. I had been trapped in a cycle of starving and purging for 7 years and had wasted away into a very scared, lonely and desperate individual. I had lost my grip on reality, I had no idea who I was anymore and did not see the point in living. I was lost in a world that I did not understand. My body had started to give up on me and I did not know what to do or where to go. I had resisted help for so long and found myself not knowing how to ask for it.

I finally went to a treatment clinic for six weeks and learnt how to eat again and to ask for help. I then went to Tharagay House and learnt how to live. I was taught various coping skills for life and provided with a loving environment to practise implementing them. At Tharagay I was received with amazing love and acceptance from both the counselling team and the housemates. They provided me with an environment that was not only disciplined and structured, but also incredibly warm and supportive. This gave me the space to truly explore myself as a person and to discover new, healthier ways of doing things.

I owe my life to the awesome team of counsellors and the friends that I made during my stay at Tharagay – without their love and support I do not think I would have made it through the earlier stages of my recovery. They gave me the strength to push through the hard times and helped me take responsibility for my life. Tharagay gave me the tools to live the healthy and fulfilling life I lead today and will be forever grateful to them for that.

"I regard the time that I spent at Imani as a precious gift for which I will always be grateful."

Please follow the website button above for the Imani Secondary Care for Eating Disorders webpage. Also you can use the e,mail button to ask Imani any questions directly





South Africa Christian Drug & Alcohol Treatment Centres / Drug Rehab Centres South Africa / 12 Step Drug Rehab South Africa / South Africa Alcohol Treatment Centres